coral hawkfish
Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus
Small hawkfish of coral reefs, of very variable colour, which lives on corals and eats crustaceans and small fish. It has commercial use, mainly for aquariums.
Also called: falcão-de-coral, halcón de coral, coral hawkfish
- maximum
- 15 cm
- depth
- 10–25 m
who is the coral hawkfish
Small fish of the family Cirrhitidae, growing to 15 cm. It lives in areas of rich coral and clear water in lagoons, channels and reefs, from 1 to 40 m deep, usually 10 to 25 m. In the eastern Pacific it occurs from the Gulf of California to Colombia, with records in the Galápagos, and the species extends into the Indo-Pacific. It sits on or within corals and feeds on crustaceans and small fish. Its commercial value is mainly for aquariums. It spawns pelagically, rising through the water column.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the coral hawkfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- Males defend territory and form harems.
identification
Small hawkfish with a moderately deep, compressed body. Its colour varies widely, from pale with grey or black spots to pink with bright red spots. Usually it is pale, with horizontal rows of dark brown square spots, a row of smaller spots on the lateral line between the larger ones, and dark dots on the head. By its size and spots, it is told apart from the giant hawkfish, which is much larger.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Eastern Pacific of Latin America, from the Gulf of California to Colombia, on coral reefs, with records in the Galápagos; it also occurs in the Indo-Pacific.
Habitat: Corals and rocks of clear-water reefs and lagoons, 1 to 40 m deep, most commonly 10 to 25 m.
rules for the coral hawkfish
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
No danger to anglers has been recorded. As it is small, handle it with a wet hand and return it to the water.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01549, b = 3.09; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Cirrhitichthys oxycephalusNames by country and language.
